Rotary engine.



Patented Oct-8, |901. M. J. ROBINSUN. ROTARY ENGINE. (Application ledJuly 10, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

ams versn; ou. muro-uma., wumorou, n. c,

Patented oct. s, |901.

M. J. ROBINSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application 'lled July 10, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

MAJOR J. ROBINSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

ISPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 683,987, da-.tedOctober 8, 1901.

Application filed July 10, 1901. Serial No. 67,743. (No model.)

' citizen ofthe United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and usefulRotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to engines ofthe rotary type, and particularlyofthe class wherein the rotary element receivesits motion from the thrustincident tothe linear movement of a reciprocatory piston; and thespecialY object of my invention is to provide a singleacting device ofthis class having a minimum number of operating elements and embodying aconstruction wherein the revoluble element may perform the dual functionof a cylinder and a power-transmitting wheel, pulley, or gear.

Further objects and advantages of the iuvention will appear in thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters representcorresponding parts, and the novel features thereof will be particularlypointedA out in the appended claims, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional` view of an engine constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing theoperating-piston in a different position-namely, at the end of t-hepowerstroke. Fig. 3 is an end view of the rotary cylinder. Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the cylinderspindle.

Arranged at oneeud of a suitable base 1 is a pedestal or column 2,provided with a bearing 3, in which is axially arranged a spindle 4. Acylinder 5 is provided with a tubular journal or trunnion 6, the bore ofwhich is continued through the body portion of the cylinder and is ofsuch a diameter as to snugly but revolubly fit said spindle, the latterbeing stationary. The cylinder consists of a block centrally disposedwith relation to the sleeve 3 and with relation to the spindle 4,

and it is provided eccentrically with a piston guide or chamber 7,located wholly at one side of the spindle and having a reciprocatorypiston-head S located therein. lIn the construction illustrated one endof thepistonwith a cylinder-inlet port 1l, located in the wall ofthepiston-chamber. Said ports are shown in registration in Fig. n1. Alsopreferably formed in the spindle 4 is an exhaustchannel 12, with whichsaid piston-chamber port 11 is adapted to communicate in anotherposition of the cylinder, as indicated in Fig.

2, the sleeve 6, which performs the function `in the preferredvembodiment of my invention of a valve or cut-off, having an exhaustport13 to register with the ot-her end of the exhaust-ehannel12 when saidpiston-chamber port is in position to permit the contents ofthepiston-cham ber to exhaust. Obviously the piston is adapted to receive asecondary or return impulse by reason of the exhaust and condensation ofthe vmotive agent, particularly if the exhaust-pipe 14 is connected witha condenser, as may be desirable under certain circumstances, specificillustration of such an arrangement being unnecessary,how ever, becauseof the fact thatit is well known in the art. The motive agent, whethersteam or other fluid, may be conveyed to the feedchannel 9 by means ofthe supply-pipe 15.

Pivotally connected with the piston-head, preferably by aball-and-soeket or other practical antifriction and universal bearing16, is a thrust member or pitman 17, having its other endcorrespondingly mounted, as at 1S, upon a thrust-block or step 19, whichin the construction illustrated consists of an enlargement at theopposite end of the base 1 from the said column 2. The relation betweenthe parts is such that the outer or, as I will term it hereinafter, thestationary end of the thrust member is permanently below the plane ofthe movable end of said thrust member, or, in vother words, is below IOOthe plane of said movable end of the thrust member when the latter is atthe limit of its downward movement. Hence when the piston is at thelimit of its inward stroke the application of pressure toitsinner facecauses the thrust member to exerta downward thrust on the step 19 and aconsequent upward thrust on that portion of the cylinder which isadjacent to the pistonhead. Moreover, except when the thrust member islocated exactly in the vertical plane of the axis of the cylinder theapplication of motive agent to the piston causes a lateral thrust to beapplied to the cylinder. Hence even without a secondary impulse beingapplied to the piston by the suction due to the exhaust of the steam orother motive agent from the pistonchamber the effect of the thrust dueto the application of the steam would carry the cylinder throughone-half of a revolution, and at the end of the direct stroke of thepiston the momentum of the cylinder would continue the rotation untilthe parts were in position to receive a second impulse of the moltiveagent. In practice, however, the ports for admitting and exhaustingmotive agent maybe so disposed as to be brought into operative relationalternately, and the inlet feed-port may even be so controlled as to cntoff the influx of motive agent and allow for the operation of the partsfor a portion of. the stroke bythe expansion of the motive agent. Thesedetails of construction and arrangement, however, form no part ot' mypresent invention, which contemplates the operation of the rotarycylinder by means oi' a singleacting reciprocatory piston7 the valvemechanism whereby the inlet and exhaust of the motive agent arecontrolled being disposed axially of the cylinder to leave the cylinderwith an unobstructed exterior surface, wherebv, if made of a suitablecontour, the cylinder may be used as a power-transmitting medium, suchas a drive pulley or wheel or a gear or its equivalent.

Having described the invention, what is claimed isl. An engine having arevoluble cylinder provided with an eccentric piston-chamber, areciprocatory piston mounted therein, a thrust member connected with thepiston and having its other end provided with a bearing on a stationarystep and valve mechanism for controlling the inlet and exhaust of motiveagent.

2. An engine having a revoluble cylinder provided with an eccentricpiston-chamber, a piston operating therein, a stationary step, a thrustmember or pitman having its extremities universally mounted respectivelyupon said step and upon the piston, and valve mechanism for controllingthe inlet and exhaust of motive agent.

3. A revoluble power-transmitting element `having a piston-chamberdisposed eccentrically thereof and parallel with its axis of rotation, apiston, a thrust member connecting said piston with an exterior xedobject, and valve mechanism for controlling the admission and exhaust ofmotive agent.

4. A revoluble cylinder having an eccentric piston-chamber,and axialstation ary spindle having feed and exhaust channels therein, a port incommunication with the pistonchamber, for alternate registration withsaid channels, a piston, and a thrust member having one end fixed to anoutside stationary object.

5. The combination of a rotary cylinder having an eccentricpiston-chamber and a concentric sleeve provided with feed and exhaustports, a stationary spindle located Within said sleeve and having inletand exhaust channels, a piston, and a thrust member connecting saidpiston with an exterior fixed object.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MAJOR J. ROBINSON.

